Episode #51 Examine Yourself First
Every conflict is an opportunity to take a step back and see ourselves more clearly. This week, Justin Brown joins Dr. Michael Brown in a conversation about looking in the mirror and investigating our own hearts before we judge others.
Show Notes
We are in the middle of this pandemic. We are in the midst of experiencing an awakening in our country of racial inequality. Even with the 2020 election coming up, I acknowledge that I have been struggling with not judging others.Dr. Justin Brown
Three Problems
- Investing our time contemplating all the room that others have to grow does nothing to help us grow.
- Examining others first makes us less hopeful, less productive, and less loving.
- Being offended by criticism communicates distrust, shifts blame, and rejects responsibility.
Three Principles
- The only person we have the power to change is the person in the mirror.
- We cannot control others, but we can always control our response to others.
- All criticisms are opportunities for growth, even those that are unsolicited or unkind.
Three Practices
- Invite others into conversations about your own implicit bias so that they also have the opportunity to grow by watching the example of your introspection.
- When you feel overwhelmed by the sins and shortcomings of others, seek to control the only thing you ever can – your very next choice.
- Identify the truth in each criticism, add them to an ongoing list, and then actually make changes.
In This Episode
Related Dimensions
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